Tommy Lee

I'm not really impressed with his chops, but he's a pro and I don't get ill when listening to him.

But I do like his stick spins....uh oh, here comes another topic. :)
 
Joe you are exactly right TL has brought the drummer to the front of the stage people go to motley shows just to see him and what he is going to do. I feel TL has some great grooves and think his showmanship is off the charts. Ive always admired his drumming

I love that Pearl AD with the upside down drumkit!!!! If any one has one I have a fist full of cash to trade!!!
 
Whoever says that Tommy Lee sucks has to say the same about Alex Van Halen. to me they sound the same, never change the 4/4 straight beat. BUT you gotta think that he does what the songs ask, and he's fun to watch. IF Mike Portnoy was in Mötley it wouldn't be the same.
 
How anyone can say that Tommy Lee is a mediocore, or ok drummer is beyond me. The thing about being great drummer goes way beyond speed or the difficulty of what you're playing. Tommy has a very unique style of drumming that is not easily duplicated. Case in point if you hear Samantha M. from Hole playing on the first Crue live DVD you can easily tell that she doesn't even compare to Tommy. He brings something to the music that makes it better. Randy Castillo played on a Crue album..and you could defineately notice that Tommy's playing was missed. He has a straight forward type of playing but his technique, and the sound he gets helps him stand out. He's got the kind of sound that you can pick out that it's him, even if you didn't know who was playing. Kinda like Bonham you know it's him right when you hear him play, some guys just have it, Alex Van Halen is like that too. There's lots of guys who can play fast or difficult pieces but they sound just like everyone else. When you can bring something that makes a piece of music better and stand out because of what you played even if it's simple then I think that's what makes you great and influential. And for anyone who thinks that Tommy can't play anything difficult listen to the Crue album with Corabi singing on it...he shreds the hell out of the drums!!!!!
 
rjlee said:
How anyone can say that Tommy Lee is a mediocore, or ok drummer is beyond me. The thing about being great drummer goes way beyond speed or the difficulty of what you're playing. Tommy has a very unique style of drumming that is not easily duplicated. Case in point if you hear Samantha M. from Hole playing on the first Crue live DVD you can easily tell that she doesn't even compare to Tommy. He brings something to the music that makes it better. Randy Castillo played on a Crue album..and you could defineately notice that Tommy's playing was missed. He has a straight forward type of playing but his technique, and the sound he gets helps him stand out. He's got the kind of sound that you can pick out that it's him, even if you didn't know who was playing. Kinda like Bonham you know it's him right when you hear him play, some guys just have it, Alex Van Halen is like that too. There's lots of guys who can play fast or difficult pieces but they sound just like everyone else. When you can bring something that makes a piece of music better and stand out because of what you played even if it's simple then I think that's what makes you great and influential. And for anyone who thinks that Tommy can't play anything difficult listen to the Crue album with Corabi singing on it...he shreds the hell out of the drums!!!!!

You just read my mind dude, i would say the same..
 
Krupamoon said:
Seems like some folks are jealous of Tommy Lee. If you are so much better of a drummer, how come no one has heard of you?

amen, brother.............for a guy who is supposedly so mediocore, he seems to be doing pretty good for himself....i highly doubt he needs help from anyone......

and btw, i'm a huge tommy lee fan....he's another huge influence on my style.....not just his playing, but his whole attitude......he just goes for it.....and takes chances, and isn't afraid to fall flat on his ass....and isn't that what rock and roll is all about??
 
I really don't think Tommy Lee has any great musical qualities, because he has admitted he can't read music, his solo work is horrible and doesn't sell, he's singing and playing guitar which he doesn't sounds to good at, and in my crazy opinion 80's metal is some of the worst music ever created. It seems these days he is just a has-been, because he does less drumming.And Motley Crue just seems like an oldies review, have you ever seen a picture of those guys?Man, they look 10 years older than they should.But thats just my opinion.
 
HurdyGurdyMan said:
I really don't think Tommy Lee has any great musical qualities, because he has admitted he can't read music, his solo work is horrible and doesn't sell, he's singing and playing guitar which he doesn't sounds to good at, and in my crazy opinion 80's metal is some of the worst music ever created. It seems these days he is just a has-been, because he does less drumming.And Motley Crue just seems like an oldies review, have you ever seen a picture of those guys?Man, they look 10 years older than they should.But thats just my opinion.


Someone's ability to read music does not AT ALL determine whether or not they are a good musician. Many good musicians can't read music. Tommy Lee has achieved a lot of sucess and done a lot (including Pam Anderson on tape), and though i don't listen to Motley Crue (or TL's music) I couldn't say he's a bad musician.

TL is a lot of things, but he is most certainly NOT a has-been. Look at Vanilla Ice....that's a has-been.
 
Yea his show has just come to AUS and from wat i can see of him, he doesnt seem to have much talent. Of course hes a good drummer but he doesnt seem very amazing/great/good. I find it funny when he tries to play in the drumline, we dont have anything like that in AUS but i hear that those things r pretty hard to play, and even when he was practising the drumline all night he still coundlt get it. And then finally on the show day he was still lokking at the other drummers! I hate it when people do that tho. Mainly its in dancing, theres always someone that has to look at everyone else, cause they dont know it, but then when they do know it off by heart like everyone else, therey still look. I like Tommy Lee, hes funny on his show but he doenst seem like a good drummer, but he seems like a good guy. U gotta admit hes got it with the ladies.
 
Tommy Lee is, hands down, the ONLY TALENT in Motley Crue. In my not-so-humble opinion, of course. I've always felt that band lacked a sense of melody; and, the one album I actually sat and listened to, Theater of Pain, seemed to be a song-for-song rip-off of Aerosmith's seminal "Rocks" album from '76. That "Home Sweet Home" is a direct emulation of "Home Tonight." I've met Nikki Sixx and he is an extrememly nice guy, but his songwriting ability is barely a step above that of Gene Simmons. I've seen Vince Neil on television and he comes across as a heckuva fun guy...but I'd rather listen to a box of kittens on fire than to hear him sing. The guitar player is just spooky. Tommy has talent, albeit most of it in the showmanship area. His solo efforts, while sophomoric and trite, still beat the Crue catalog by a long shot.

And that's all I have to say about that!
 
Yes but he is a gooddrummer i was watching live aid on the tv and he was doing alot of crazy stick flipping and stuff his playing is quite alright but im not a big fan of the band .....

But at least i can read music
 
Hmmm...seems when I was in high school in 1984-88 that Tommy Lee was the best thing since sliced bread...I mean come on just listen to those killer beats on Shout at the Devil and Smokin' in the Boys Room....

Then on second listen, 20 years later......what do we have hear? Ahhhhh pure CRAP.

I guess when we grow up, we actually become better listeners, and stop worrying about gimmicky tatted up upside down baseball bat for drum stick wielding clowns.

Actually, I think Tommy was a better drummer back then. It is like the Hollywood lifestyle has robbed him of any ounce of musicality he may have once had.


Oh yeah, and great post Dog Breath. Slowly we WILL let these kiddies know that the old dogs rule the forums ;-)
 
NaturalRaz said:
I just get so tired of everyone saying that he sucks, or that he isn't good, or that he is mediocre....but never comming to the table with solid facts about thier so-called opinon. Especially when they have never truly heard or seen him play. Like I said...I think most of it is a bandwagon deal. Its seems to cool to bash him and his lifestyle! Heck, thats what happens when someone is as huge as he is. Kinda like that highschool way of thinking. I have looked at the "ages of most" of the people making the negative comments and they are in thier low 20's or teens. Also they are growing up with a diffent era of drummers too and that has alot to do with taste. If they think that he isn't very good or just medioce.....why aren't they on tour selling out arenas or amphitheaters with thier band? And don't say to me that you got bills to pay, or you don't have the time to practice, or its a fad, or that your band hasn't been found yet, or the music industry isn't ready......just simply say...that you and your band are not that good and Tommy Lee and his band are. "Welcome to the world of Motley Crue." 24 years...and still selling out arenas. Why don't you go and see why they are.....you will come back with a different opinon. Make your dreams come true instead of bashing those that have!


Selling out arenas??? This is a joke right? Just 2 years ago, Vince Neil was playing venues in West Texas to 500 people for $10 a ticket. My band would draw nearly that many people on a Thursday night. So what if they 'suddenly' have had a "reunion" tour? Its a gimmick, and skanky 35 year old women just want an excuse to break out their acid wash jeans and bandanas one more time.

I hate to break it to you, but the Crue has not been together for 24 years. They took a 15 year vacation recently.

As far as proof goes to his mediocrity; the proof is in the recordings.

With that said, "Shout at the Devil" is still one of my most favorite albums of all time. Its when Theatre of Pain hit that I lost any and all interest in the boys from Crue.

And Tommy's solo effort back around 2000 was one of the best rap/rock style albums I ever heard (best being a relative term).

Face it, he's a rockstar first, a porn star second, a party-boy third and then somewhere down the line, a drummer. He's not terrible, he's just not worth the praise as a musician on an internet forum that consistently features the likes of Vinnie Coaluta, Steve Gadd, and friends.
-----------
update:
And his show Tommy Goes to School is now on BBC in the UK! So I can watch all the episodes I missed when I moved here in October.
 
Im going to see Motley Crue live on Valentines Day. I have never been more excited about anything in my entire life.
 
I heard from someone who knows the Band Director at the U of Nebraska where the show was filmed. He said that Tommy was very nice to everyone and really did work hard to learn the MarchingBand show.
 
LiquidSoul546 said:
Haha, thanks for the laugh brocke, it just proves my point even more.... Just a showmanship drummer. So what he can hang upside down and play drums, i bte both of us could too. But i can understand what your tryin to say.
Peace

Hahahaha, you know damn right you couldnt play upside down...or how bout, playing upside down while spinning your sticks?!?!?! exactly like t-bone does it in M0TLEY CRUE's "WILD SIDE" video! i think tommy lee is an extremely talented drummer. and maybe a reason for his technique/dynamics not being as good as many of you think they should be is that because most drummers focus on there technique/dynamics. but thats gotta be kinda hard cause when he plays: he sings back up, does acrobatic drum solos, and still manages to stay in time while drumming. most drummers just sit behind the kit and play all night(and thats not hard to focus on if thats what your doing all night), but not tommy...t-bone has to be thinking on whats coming up in the show, and what stunts he's going to be doing that night...TOMMY LEE IS A GOD IN ROCK HISTORY!!! nuff said
 
At the risk of dating myself I'll lay out Tommy’s gear of the years.... and Steve can tell me if I'm incorrect anywhere.....

Too Fast For Love Years 1981-1983

Drums- (unknown) Looks to be a Tama Model Imperial Star. If you notice one tom is so old... it doesn’t have a lower head or lugs!

Cymbals- Paiste

Sticks- some "local" music store model

Hardware- various brands...

Heads- Remo

Notes-- This was just about the time Tommy got signed, so he didn’t have any endorsements.... YET

Shout at the Devil Years 1983-1984

Drums- Started off with the kit from Too Fast for Love
Then used Tama for a short period.
Finally switched to Sonor drums

Cymbals- Paiste

Sticks- Some "local" music store model

Hardware- various and Sonor.

Heads- Remo

Notes- This was the first time the Paiste "RUDE" series of cymbal was used by Tommy. It also was the time when Tommy began his relationship with the German drum maker Sonor. I don’t think Sonor did any advertising with Tommy's name... At the time, some bigger metal acts were using Sonor... like Iron Maiden.

Theatre of Pain Years 1985-1986

Drums- Started off Sonar Drums
About ½ way through the tour he switched to Pearl

Cymbals- Paiste

Sticks- Vic Firth “Tommy Lee” Model

Hardware- Sonor, Pearl and DW pedals.

Heads- Remo

Notes- This was the first time the Paiste Color Sound 5 series of cymbal was used by Tommy. It also was the time when Tommy began his relationship with Vic Firth Drumsticks. Tommy also began using Simmons electronic pads with this kit. The sounds used were a Gong, orchestra hit, and a gunshot. LP also made a spot for Tommy in the 1986 catalog… for the “Snake Bell” cowbell. At this time, DW was making the pedals that Tommy used. They introduced the DW5000. This would be Tommy staple pedal for many years.

Girls, Girls, Girls Years 1987-1988

Drums- Pearl

Cymbals- Paiste

Sticks- Vic Firth “Tommy Lee” Model

Hardware- Pearl and a custom Rack (the spinning one).

Heads- Remo

Notes- Tommy began to use D-Drum pads to trigger the sounds. Pearl also began to market their products using Tommy’s name.

Dr Feelgood /Decade of Decadence Years 1989-1992

Drums- DW

Cymbals- Paiste

Sticks- Vic Firth “Tommy Lee” Model

Hardware- DW

Heads- Remo

Notes- At this time, Vic Firth started selling the “Tommy” Stick into the market place. It featured red print and a red nylon tip. They still sell this stick under the name “Metal N (CMN)”.


The Motley Crue Years (when Vince was out)- 1994-1996

Drums- DW

Cymbals- Paiste

Sticks- Ahead “Tommy Lee” Model

Hardware- DW

Heads- Remo

Notes- Tommy was one of the first people to start using the new AHEAD stick. They even did marketing with Tommy seen in a pile of broken wooden sticks.


The Generation Swine/ Greatest Hits Years 1997-1999

Drums- DW

Cymbals- Paiste

Sticks- Ahead “Tommy Lee” Model

Hardware- DW

Heads- Aquarian

Notes- This tour feature a very cool drum set. Made to look like the mirror balls you would see at a disco-tec. This was also the time Tommy began endorsing the Aquarian line of drum heads. These heads were also sold to the public using Tommy’s name. This relationship was short lived.


The Red, White, and Crue Years 2004-???

Drums- DW

Cymbals- Zildjian

Sticks- Ahead “Tommy Lee” Model

Hardware- DW

Heads- Remo

Notes- Steve has filled us in on this kit. One highlight is that Tommy ended a VERY long history with Paiste Cymbals. It was one of the only items Tommy has been using since the begining.

Well that’s the basics of the history of Tommy’s Drums…. Sorry if I bored ya!
 
I should rephrase my comments about Tommy being a partier and not a drummer... I was having a bad day or something.

Obviously, he has talent and skill and has worked really hard to get where he is. I would just like to moderate my previous comment and say he is a great entertainer. What I was trying to get across is that my personal emphasis is on music and drumming, not the image and the sideshow. That's why my favorite drummers are Gadd, Smith, Colaiuta and not Barker, Tommy Lee and Joey Jordison.

I never did see the rest of the Tommy goes to School episodes. Did he eventually make the drum line or not?
 
Vibra-Slap'd said:
Well that’s the basics of the history of Tommy’s Drums…. Sorry if I bored ya!

Not boring at all! A discography including the gear used. Now if you could just get us the cymbal sizes and makes, heh.
 
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